


Hope From Ruin

by FereldenRose



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: Angst and Feels, F/M, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Post-War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-04
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-15 14:21:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29190729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FereldenRose/pseuds/FereldenRose
Summary: The Reapers have been destroyed at great cost. And now, it's time to rebuild.
Relationships: Male Shepard/Ashley Williams
Comments: 1
Kudos: 7





	1. My Captain Doesn't Answer

**Chapter 1: My Captain Doesn't Answer**

Ashley’s fingers grazed the nameplate reverently. Commander John Shepard. The makeshift symbol of his probable death was temporary, and the name had been meticulously hand-written in black ink. She wasn’t sure who had written it. It would do for now, at least until they could get back to Alliance space. _If_ they ever got back to Alliance space. They had been stranded on this planet for over 72 hours. Repairs on The Normandy were finished, and she hoped they would be in the air within the next hour or so. She let her gaze scan the names on the wall and linger for a moment on the name of Kaidan Alenko. She remembered that he gave good hugs, and she could have really used one of his right then. She looked again at the nameplate, cycling through the emotions she had been feeling the last few days. 

At first, there was pure, stabbing grief. When he'd forced her to leave him behind again her hopes of his survival all but crumbled. As the Normandy sped away from London, leaving him there all alone, she slumped to her knees in the cargo bay and stared at the floor. Liara helped her struggle to her feet and enfolded her in a desperate hug so tight Ashley thought the rest of her ribs might break. She returned it, equally as constricting, and the two of them shook with shared quiet tears for a moment. At that moment, they both seemed to understand they would never see him again.

Desperation was next. She'd somehow made it to bridge on her own two feet. While her physical injuries were minimal, she struggled with simply trying to advance one in front of the other. She listened to the radio chatter hoping to hear something, anything good, but it all sounded bleak. 

Silent panic quickly followed the audible order from Admiral Hackett to retreat entirely. She choked out a quiet “no!” to anyone that would hear her, but she knew leaving was the only way the Normandy would survive. Joker had hesitated, and Ashley watched Liara place her hand on his shoulder and gently urge him to carry out the order. When he’d begrudgingly set his resolve to do so, Ashley felt dizzy, nauseous, and her chest tightened like a vice. She leaned against the wall for support, closed her eyes, and took a few deep breaths. She then forced herself to remain upright on the bridge as everything turned to chaos.

Cold resolve emptied her of emotion after a rough landing. She was technically in command for now, and she was laser- focused on it. If she could work, she could function. It worked until there was a few seconds to spare or a quiet moment for her mind to wander. She didn’t dare sleep for fear of her dreams. She carried on with calm authority, but she suspected most of the crew knew she was in pain. She and Shepard had been fairly private about their relationship, but certainly not secretive. She had to avoid more than a few sympathetic glances as the days passed.

They had lost EDI. No one was entirely sure why. They’d surmised that it had something to do with the wave of energy that had engulfed them and fried all of their systems. Joker hadn’t made a sarcastic remark, or any remarks at all for that matter for the last two days. In fact, the whole crew seemed to be walking around in a daze. Traynor was working hard through her own occasional bout of tears to get communications up and running, but there was no guarantee that anyone would answer. There was no guarantee that anyone was even alive.

_No matter what happens here today, I'll always love you._

She took a deep, shaky breath and blinked away a threatening tear, keeping her gaze on the nameplate. And then her lips moved.

"No," She spoke softly, so softly she wasn't even sure she had said it aloud.

There was silence, and she felt Garrus' hand touch her shoulder as the entire crew watched her expectantly.

"No," She said, stronger and with more defiance. She felt Garrus' taloned fingers tighten comfortingly on her shoulder.

"Williams," he said quietly.

She turned to meet his sad eyes. "Not yet." It was nearly a plea, a desperate wish that someone would understand. He stared at her a moment, looked as if he was going to try to convince her, and then he broke eye contact and nodded.

"It's okay," he comforted. "We don't have to do this now."

Liara approached, and Ashley's eyes pleaded with her too. "I can't," she said.

"I know,' Liara whispered, a tear falling onto her cheek.

"Not until I know for sure." She stared at Liara, and finally Liara smiled sadly and nodded.

"So what’s next...Commander?" Joker spoke as he approached them, and even though Lieutenant Commander was a rank she and Shepard both shared, her stomach roiled at the use of the title for her. It was his title, his ship, his crew. "The Normandy is ready. We'll go where you tell us to."

She nodded, and then glanced around at the other crew members, who all seemed to be looking agreeable. She swallowed her emotions and found her voice, strong and authoritative. "Set a course for London, Joker."

“Yes ma'am.”

With that she felt she could no longer stand there, no longer look at that wall. She strode out, passed the crew and made her way to the elevator. When the door closed and it started its slow climb to the Captain’s cabin, she closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. She imagined his face, his smile, and his final words to her. And then she spoke again to both herself and him.

"Not yet."


	2. Broken Grandeur

**Chapter 2: Broken Grandeur**

Ashley didn't know how long she had been sitting there staring into the middle distance. It could have been twenty minutes. It could have been two hours. Time had been funny the last few days. She hadn’t been sleeping a lot on their journey. It felt strange being alone in the bed they’d shared. On the first night, she’d screamed herself awake thinking of her sister Sarah. Once all of the planning and working had been done, Ashley had been cursed with a moment to herself to think. And since then she had been worried about her whole family, but Sarah especially because she had been on the Citadel. She had caved and asked Chakwas for something to help her sleep after that. 

Piloting the ship back towards Earth had been extra work for Joker without EDI, and Ashley almost felt cruel in hindsight for asking him to even do it. She considered EDI and how close she had become with not just Joker, but the rest of the crew as well. She had learned and asked questions and felt sadness and hope and maybe even love or something like it. Ashley hadn’t realized just how much EDI had meant to her in the end. She half hoped that EDI would suddenly speak to her over the comm, but she knew she wouldn’t. The ship was functioning, but its very soul was gone. The Normandy felt hollow and empty in more ways than one.

It took them a while to get their bearings and plot navigation once they were in orbit, and the FTL travel over the last few days still felt like it was taking an eternity. The door opened and Ashley looked up to find Liara entering the room. "We're almost there," Liara said. “We’re lucky the nav system still works as well as it does.”

Ashley nodded and stood. "External comms?"

Liara shook her head and leaned on the desk next to Ashley. "No. Not yet." The pulse that had engulfed the Normandy had taken them out and forced them to crash land. There was no way to know what it had done to everything else in its path.

Ashley forced herself to speak. "Do you think he's alive?" She asked quietly.

She heard Liara sigh behind her. "Ashley..." Ashley took a few steps toward the fish tank. It was full of fish, all swimming around happily. None of them had any idea what was happening in the world. Ashley envied them a little. Liara's voice was soft. "That last transmission from Hackett... there... wasn't much to-"

"Do  _ you _ think he's alive?" Ashley’s tone was harsher than she’d meant it as she interrupted Liara.

Liara approached. "I don't know." She touched her shoulder. "But if I know anything about Shepard, I know we shouldn't give up on him just yet. We'll find him... either way."

Ashley looked into Liara's blue eyes. It was strange to think the two of them had become such good friends. They had never agreed on much, but during the past few years they had shared many of the same experiences, and much of the same pain. They both loved John Shepard and while in the past it had been a point of contention between them, now it served as a kind of bond. Ashley counted Liara T'soni as one of her dearest friends, and she always would. She gave her a warm smile.

"We're approaching the orbit over London," Joker said over the comm. "I'm looking at the Citadel right now. It looks intact... well... some of it anyway. Looks like the Alliance already has shuttles up here."

“Thanks, Joker.” She touched her comm. "Cortez."

"Yes ma'am," Steve Cortez's voice said.

"Get the shuttle ready. We're headed to the Citadel."

"Aye aye."

Ashley looked at Liara. She knew she would be coming with her, and with any luck, they could find out something. The two of them headed toward the elevator. Once inside, Ashley spoke.

"He said it looks intact,"

"Some of it, anyway," Liara reminded gently.

Ashley nodded. "I just hope we can find something out there. If it didn't get destroyed then maybe..." Her breath caught in her throat and her stomach turned. "Maybe my sister is okay..." She barely got the words out. Her breath turned shallow for a moment. 

"Don't get upset or overwhelmed before we know anything, Ashley." Liara's voice was firm. It was exactly what she needed.

"You're right." Ashley took a deep breath. She had come too far to lose it now. Every fiber of her being wanted to curl up and cry. She had little hope for Shepard, little hope for her sister Sarah and no way of knowing at all if the rest of her family was safe. She thought of her niece, Maddy, and said a short silent prayer that she was okay.

The doors to the shuttle bay opened and Garrus and Tali were there already. They turned to her.

"You didn't think you were going in alone did you?" Garrus joked. Ashley smiled at him. They had all lost a lot, and right now she knew Garrus was waiting for news about his family too.

She punched his shoulder lightly. "You always did like to tag along, Vakarian."

"You know it."

They all piled onto the shuttle and sat down while Cortez prepared for take-off. Ashley liked Cortez. He and Shepard had become close in the last few months. She knew that everyone was worried about Shepard, and she was counting on that fact to keep from feeling selfish. Shepard’s fate was not just important to her, but to the whole crew, and to a lot of other people too. He had become something more than just a man. He had been a symbol to many, which she knew he hated. She had heard that some even thought that maybe he was immortal. At this moment, she hoped they were right. 

They weren't wearing armor, and as far as they knew there was no need. The Citadel was clearly under Alliance control, with several cruisers, including Asari and Turian visible as they passed in the shuttle. So much was running through her head she didn't know where to begin. Her sense of duty and commitment to the Alliance were fighting with her need for personal answers. She would help how she could of course. That was her job and her mission. No, that was her life. And everyone would need a lot of help. Later. First, she would know what she needed to know.

As they approached, Ashley looked at the ruined, battered, barely holding together Citadel. She thought back to her first approach when it had seemed so much more grand. She remembered her wide eyed wonder at it all, her inexperienced naiveté. It all seemed so long ago. Now, as she looked at the darkened shell of the seat of galactic civilization, it looked like a ghost.

She hoped that wasn't all they would find there.


	3. Rubble and Reunion

**Chapter 3: Rubble and Reunion**

Cortez tried hailing whatever Alliance frequencies he could as they approached, but there was no response. For all Ashley knew, everyone's comms were out. She looked at the crumbled Citadel arms as they approached. With the damage here and everywhere else it was hard to imagine this is what everything looked like after they'd actually  _ won  _ the war.  _ If  _ they had won. She still didn’t know what exactly happened after they retreated.

They docked the shuttle without interference, but as the door opened, Ashley, Liara, Garrus and Tali were greeted by several armed Alliance soldiers. Their weapons weren't pointed at them but they still looked a little nervous about who would be stepping out of the shuttle. Ashley guessed that regardless of the Alliance paint job, people were still a bit on edge.

A dark haired man approached Ashley. "I'm Lt. Espinosa. Please identify yourself."

Ashley stepped down and walked up to him. He seemed to be the one in charge, at least of the few men that were there.

"Lieutenant Commander Williams," she greeted. “I’m Alliance and a Council SpecTRe.” She wasn’t exactly sure how much weight either of the titles carried anymore.

The man saluted. "Maam." She nodded back, and didn't feel like standing on ceremony just now. "I apologize for the armed welcome. Your shuttle wasn't responding to our attempts to contact you."

"Our comms are out," Ashley nodded. "You have communications restored here?"

"Some. The Citadel's comm frequencies are functional and we're able to communicate with allied forces planetside as well." That was good. That meant that people were coordinating efforts, that the comms were only damaged, not destroyed in the blast. It also meant there were survivors planet-side, though she had no idea how many. "We're still having trouble contacting the majority of the fleet, but we're hoping to remedy it soon." He motioned for her to walk with him.

Ashley walked with Espinosa, knowing that Garrus, Liara and Tali were close behind. "We lost contact after Admiral Hackett gave the order to pull out. What happened?”

He stopped and looked at her. “I can’t really say, ma’am. All I know is that it seems like the Crucible fired, all our tech went haywire, and then enemy forces just… deactivated.” 

“Deactivated...” 

“Yes ma’am. It’s like every last one of those goddamn monsters just...stopped. Literally.” He chuckled. “They fell right out of the sky and haven’t gotten back up.”

Ashley’s head swam for a split second with all of the things that might have meant, and then she continued. “What's the situation here on The Citadel?"

"It’s a collaborative effort with the Council races. We organized strike teams to do a sweep, but so far no live hostile forces have been encountered. We’re going as fast as we can searching for survivors. That's our top priority." Ashley's heart skipped a beat.

"And you've found survivors?" Hope rose in her heart.

"Yes ma'am. So far a few thousand. We expect to find a lot more once we search the lower levels of the station." A few thousand. That was a mere fraction number of people who had actually been on the Citadel. It was too few. Her heart sank again.

"How can we find out if Commander Shepard is among the survivors?" Garrus asked, keeping pace with Espinosa. Ashley's stomach turned. She realized she didn't want to know the answer.

They boarded the elevator and Espinosa activated his omni-tool. "There's a list we've been compiling of everyone uninjured enough to be transported. We also have a listing of the folks who needed medical treatment. Some are really bad off. They're in our restricted medical ward. There’s a list of dead, and the rest we simply haven’t had the resources to track yet. Couldn't say off hand if the Commander is among any of them, but you're welcome to the lists." He hit a few buttons on his omni-tool and Ashley's received the information as the elevator doors opened.

They stepped out. "Thank you, Lieutenant."

He nodded, then pointed. "We have the survivors divided into several sections in these two wards. The list should correspond. I'll be in D13. That's where we've set up our mobile command.”

“Thank you, Lieutenant. Good work here.”

“Ma’am." He saluted again, turned then and left.

Ashley was already frantically searching through the names of survivors. They were at least alphabetized, and she went quickly to the W section looking for Sarah's name. What would she do if her name wasn't there? How would she find her? Was she dead? Ashley's mind was racing until she finally spotted it. She gasped.

_ Williams-Powell, Sarah: D9 _

“Sarah.” Ashley breathed out a sigh of relief and smiled. Sarah was alive. She was here, and she was safe.

"Did you find her?" Tali asked.

Ashley nodded. "Yeah. D9. That means she's not in the hospital, means she's not hurt." She scanned the section with names that started with S, looking for Shepard. She scanned again. Three times she looked through, each time feeling a panic rise within her. She turned to Liara. "He's not here," she said.

Liara touched her shoulder. "You should go to Sarah." Liara's voice was soothing, and Ashley took a deep, cleansing breath to slow her heartbeat and ease the tightness in her chest. Her baby sister was okay. She would take her victories as they came, and she needed to see her. "Go," Liara urged. "We'll talk to some people and try to find out what we can about Shepard."

"Go on, Williams," Garrus said. "I'm glad she's okay." Ashley guessed he must have been thinking of his own sister on Palaven, and her heart ached for him. He had gone the entire war without knowing if his family was alive. Ashley realized how lucky she had been to be able to find those things out early on after the initial assault. Hopefully they had remained safe.

She touched his arm. "Thank you," She forced her feet to take the initial step away from her friends and then she jogged to section D9. Everything was a mess. The Citadel she knew was no more. Her feet pounded against the metal floor and she could hear herself panting. She had completely forgotten about her injuries - broken fingers, a couple stitches at the base of her scalp, cracked ribs, bruising on her face, a twisted ankle. She was reminded of them now as she ran, but she didn't care. She passed several soldiers on her way. They all looked exhausted and distant. So much had happened. The world was turned upside down and Ashley felt it too.

As she entered the area, she waved off the soldier apparently responsible for keeping the list of survivors. She entered and stopped dead in her tracks for a moment to take it all in. There were so many people, all crowded in groups, sleeping on the ground, crying, talking, or staring at nothing. She started to scan the crowd quickly, walking through, stepping around groups of people. It was loud, so it would do her no good to yell for Sarah. She would just keep looking. She spun around, looking at every face, in every corner, but she didn't see her. She stopped to take a breath.

"Ashley!" Sarah's voice came from behind her, loud and clear. She spun, wide eyed to see her sister running toward her. She was filthy, but looked uninjured. Ashley laughed with tears in her eyes as she thought of her dirty little sister, running in from playing outside. She couldn't speak. She could only open her arms and catch her as she ran into her. "Oh my God," Sarah whispered, squeezing her sister. Ashley thought she might crack the rest of her ribs as she squeezed back.

"Sarah," Ashley finally managed to choke out. She pulled back and touched Sarah's face to make sure she was real, and she looked at her tearful blue eyes. She had always had their father's coloring. The two of them didn't look much like sisters, but they had the same facial expressions, the same mannerisms, the same hot headed stubbornness they'd gotten from their mother. She pulled her sister back into another tight hug and simply held her there. Pressed together, a wave of comfort washed over her and she closed her eyes. She felt Sarah convulse with a quiet sob and then Ashley felt her own tears stinging her eyes and falling down her cheeks. She wasn’t sure how long she held her, but she never wanted to let go. When they pulled away, they both laughed a little, and wiped their tears from their faces. For one moment, everything seemed okay. 

"What are you doing here?" Sarah squeaked, still wiping tears from her face. "Are you here with Shepard?"

Ashley's smile faded. "No. No, we're still looking for him." She smiled again. “Are you okay?" She realized what a dumb question it was. Was anyone really okay after all this?

Sarah shook her head. "It was awful. They just poured in, those husks... and not just the human ones you talked about before. The other ones too." Her eyes filled again, not with tears of relief, but the tears of someone who had just watched a lot of people die. "A group of us managed to get to a section and seal it off. We just hid." She shrugged. "We got lucky." She looked down. "So many others didn't."

Ashley touched her shoulder. "I know, but it's over now. We beat 'em."

Sarah nodded. "Do you know anything about Mom? About-" Sarah looked like she might cry again.

Ashley shook her head. "Not yet. But they'll be fine. I know it." She smiled at her sister convincingly.

Sarah returned the smile and seemed to relax. "So... Shepard..." Sarah knew what Shepard meant to Ashley. She had always known. She'd been there for her when Ashley had lost him before, and she had seen what it had done to her no matter how much Ash had tried to hide it. At the time, Ashley had been sure Sarah was too young and too sheltered to know how she was feeling, and she had said as much in a harsh, dismissive way. It had been a very angry time for Ashley. When she’d seen the lost look in Sarah’s eyes after she’d lost Thomas, she realized she and her sister had more in common than she had originally thought. 

Ashley took a deep breath. "We were on Earth making the final push and he... he ordered us to go. So...we did." Ashley's stomach turned at the memory of deserting him on Earth. 

_ With all due respect, Commander - _

_ Don't argue with me, Ash! _

“Oh wow.” Sarah's grabbed her hands. "You'll find him," she said quietly. Ashley smiled sadly at her sister, desperately wanting to believe her.

"He's on Earth."

Ashley spun around to find Liara standing there with an odd expression on her face. Ashley couldn't read it. "What?" Ashley asked. She took a step toward Liara, her eyes asking the question she couldn't bear to vocalize. 

Liara smiled slightly. "He's alive."

The breath Ashley had been holding came out sharply. She felt dizzy. She shook her head, unable to accept it without further information. "Earth... but...how-"

"They think that the beam that brought him up also returned him somehow. He was apparently found in some rubble in London with Admiral Anderson's body." Liara sighed and shook her head. "I don't know his condition. Only his location."

Ashley gathered her strength with a few deep breaths. Admiral Anderson was dead. She knew he had stayed behind too, and hadn’t had much hope, but it still stung to hear it. She would mourn him properly later. Shepard needed her now. She didn't know what awaited her on Earth, what his condition was, but it was enough to keep her going. For the first time since she'd watched him run toward the beam, Ashley was experiencing something amazing.

Hope.


	4. Hollow

**Chapter 4: Hollow**

London. Or what was left of it. The Normandy landed on what looked like it used to be a residential neighborhood but was now cleared out and transformed into a large airfield. The Alliance worked fast. Trailers housing a makeshift air traffic control station were clustered at one end of the field, the remains of some sort of park. It looked as if the trees and homes that hadn't already been destroyed had been removed by the Alliance to make space.

Ashley stepped out of the ship and her feet touched the scorched ground. She squinted at the sun, and could see smoke rising from various areas in the distance. There would likely still be fires to be put out all around the city. The air smelled of smoke and dust and death. It was hard to imagine looking at the place that things were getting better. It would be a long process.

She'd finally been able to speak with someone at command, who sent her the general report of what was happening in London. It updated by the hour it seemed. Barriers had been erected around many of the downed Reapers. They would need to figure out how to remove the sprawling monstrosities later. Survivors were being searched for and many had been found holed up in the few buildings that hadn't been leveled. Those healthy enough for transport were being taken to shelters. The rest were taken to the two or three still functioning hospitals in the city. A couple of schools and other buildings had been quickly transformed into makeshift medical centers. Crews had gotten water and power to the hospitals and command centers. It was a similar story around the whole planet, and likely on other planets as well.

A transport approached and a corporal stepped out and snapped to a quick salute. "Ma'am," he greeted. She returned it. "You requested transport to Garrin Memorial?"

She nodded. "That's right." She glanced at Liara and Dr. Chakwas. They were coming with her, but Ashley had ordered the rest of the crew to sit tight aboard the Normandy. Sarah was aboard as well, and Ashley had decided she was going to lock her up there and not let her out of her sight. They would likely be getting some sort of orders soon, or if not maybe they could make themselves useful on the ground. Acting Commander was not a position she wanted to be in right now. She wanted to pass it off to someone else, focus entirely on finding Shepard and then contacting her family, but she couldn't. Her problem was also everyone else's problem. Everyone was searching for loved ones and trying to pick up the pieces of shattered lives, and she wasn’t special in that regard. 

As they climbed into the transport and sat down, Ashley tried to prepare herself for what she might find at the hospital. They didn't know his condition. She supposed she could find him sitting up, awake and complaining about being stuck in the hospital. She almost smiled at the thought. He had always been a terrible patient, even from the moment he woke up in the med bay after Eden Prime. She shivered as she thought of the other possibilities. A simple "alive" was all they'd gotten regarding his condition. That could mean a lot of things. She took a deep breath and looked out the window as the transport sped to its destination. Everything was a desolate wasteland now. Ashley had only been to London once before, but it was unrecognizable to her now. There were hazmat crews incinerating the corpses of husks and cannibals. The Alliance and other non-human governments would likely keep a few to study, but she wished they wouldn't. The sooner they were burned from existence the better.

They passed pockets of campsites, teeming with humans and a few non-humans. Ashley knew everyone was eager to get back to their own homes to help rebuild, but she also knew it would be difficult. With the relays damaged, travel to other systems would take some time. Even with FTL the furthest ones out could take months or even longer. She thought of the human colonies out in the Traverse. It would be a long time before the Alliance could get aid to them.

After a short time the transport stopped, and Ashley practically sprung from her seat and out the door. She heard Liara thank the corporal. Ashley's focus was on the front door of the hospital. The building looked structurally sound, save for some missing outer chunks. Chakwas and Liara caught up with her as she entered and headed straight for the front desk. Bullet holes and scorch marks dotted the wall behind the young private who stood before them.

She looked up from her paperwork expectantly. "Yes, can I help you?"

Ashley opened her mouth to speak, but no words came. She wasn't sure why, but thankfully Dr. Chakwas stepped in.

"We're looking for Commander Shepard. I'm his personal physician and we were told he was here."

"Just need to check your clearance. This is an Alliance personnel only facility."

Ashley looked at the armed guards stationed and then she activated her omni-tool letting the woman access the information she needed. Chakwas and Liara did the same. Liara wasn't officially Alliance, but her credentials showed she worked officially on an Alliance ship. Ashley didn't anticipate problems.

"Thank you Lieutenant Commander Williams. You were looking for Commander Shepard?" The girl looked down at her datapad and entered the information. "Yes, he arrived here a few days ago." Ashley took a deep breath as she continued. "His attending is Dr. Wenn. Fourth floor."

"Thank you," Ashley said quietly and the three of them headed to the elevator. Ashley hit the button for the fourth floor three times, and then stood back as the doors closed. She felt Liara looking at her. She turned to her. "What?"

"Are you going to be alright?" Liara asked gently.

Ashley nodded. "I'm fine. I just need to see him." Her heart was racing with excitement and fear, a mixture of optimistic hope and sobering realism.

The doors opened to a crowded, bustling ward, littered with cots in the hallways. Each held an Alliance soldier. Some looked better off than others. Some were sitting, laughing, talking. Others appeared to be sleeping. A quick glance of one of the rooms showed that each had at least two soldiers in them. The rooms were probably for the worst off. The harried nurses scrambled around. They looked exhausted.

Ashley approached another woman sitting at a desk. "John Shepard," She said simply. She could feel herself shaking. "What room is he in?"

The woman nodded and looked at her datapad. "Room 404 just down the hall." She pointed.

"Thank you," Ashley said breathlessly. She practically ran down the hallway, Liara and Chakwas close behind her.

The door to room 404 was open, and as Ashley stepped in she felt as if someone had just kicked her in the stomach. There was only one bed, and in it lay John Shepard. He was nearly motionless, or would have been if it hadn't been for the breathing machine and the tube in his mouth. The ventilator raised and lowered his chest gently over and over again.

She forced her feet forward and barely noticed when Chakwas immediately picked up his chart from the foot of the bed. As she approached, Ashley reached out and gently touched his hand with her fingertips. It was so cold. She squeezed lightly, willing it to be warm, hoping for a moment that he would squeeze back. He didn't. His face was swollen and mostly black and purple, as were his arms. The light weight sheet that covered his chest likely covered similar injuries. His entire head was covered in a bandage wrap and his neck was held still by a trauma brace. She finally exhaled the breath she had been holding, and with it came a long threatening tear from her wide eyes. She wiped it quickly from her cheek and swallowed. She couldn't fall apart now. She wouldn't. She felt Liara's hand on her back and then looked at Chakwas expectantly.

Chakwas sighed. "Severe head trauma and multiple deep lacerations, broken ribs, compound fractures of his left tibia and femur." Chakwas moved to the side of the bed and glanced under the sheet. "There's a deep wound in his left side." She looked at the chart. "Gunshot. They found the round embedded in his small intestine during initial surgery. He'd lost a lot of blood." She opened one of his eyes and examined. Ashley watched, noting the lack of life in his blue iris, and it chilled her. Chakwas looked at the machines. "Pulse is steady but weakened. His blood pressure is up." She touched his forehead. "High fever, likely the result of some kind of infection. Brain function looks active at least."

"So he's going to be okay," Ashley said. She knew it was a premature statement, even before Dr. Wenn entered the room.

"We just don't know yet," The doctor said. Ashley turned to her and Dr. Wenn nodded. "I'm Dr. Wenn. I'm his attending."

Dr. Chakwas stepped forward. "Karin Chakwas. The commander has been under my medical care for several years."

Wenn nodded. "Yes I know. I have the file. It came directly from Admiral Hackett. We were told the commander is a priority and we're to use every resource available for him."

"Thank you," Liara said quietly.

"Are his synthetic implants active?" Dr. Chakwas asked.

Wenn shook her head. "No, they're not actually. I haven't figured out why. They should have kicked in and begun repairing his tissue by now, but..."

"But what?" Ashley asked.

Wenn sighed. "His body is rejecting the implants. It sees them as something to attack so his already weakened system is exhausting itself trying to fight them." Ashley turned her attention to Shepard again, taking his hand in hers once more as Wenn continued. "We considered removing them in surgery but there are just so many. I've... never seen anything quite like it. It's almost as if he was... reconstructed entirely."

"He was," Chakwas said. "Entirely."

Wenn seemed speechless at the very idea. Ashley supposed it was something that most people hadn't seen before. Shepard, back from the dead, remade, reborn of science and technology. And now the very thing that saved him could be killing him. Ashley didn't understand, but she suspected it had something to do with the energy blast from the Crucible. It had damaged nearly every piece of technology, even for just a short time. And then there was EDI. And now Shepard.

"What if we can get them working again somehow?" Liara asked. "Will it kickstart his system to begin healing?" Their voices had fallen away from Ashley's mind as she gazed at Shepard's broken and beaten face. She touched his cheek softly and felt the hair there that had practically grown into a beard. She took a deep breath again.

"It's a good idea but as I've said I've never seen anything like it before," Wenn sighed. "I simply don't know how they work."

"I know someone who does." Chakwas said quietly. "And we need her here."

Ashley looked up. She knew exactly who they were talking about even before Liara said it.

"We need Miranda Lawson."


	5. Small Comforts

**Chapter 5: Small Comforts**

"You're sure that door is locked?" Ashley asked, only half kidding. She'd noticed Shepard casually locking it with his omni-tool when they'd started kissing, sealing them inside the starboard observation area. She spent most of her rare free time there reading, and even though she bunked in the crew quarters, she had slept there once or twice just so she could look out of the large window at the stars. In the weeks since she’d joined the Normandy’s crew, it had become the only place that seemed peaceful to her. And now that she was laying there in his arms on the couch, she felt more serene than she had in a long time.

He shifted behind her and held her just a little tighter around her middle. "Pretty sure…” His lips grazed her ear. “I was a little distracted." 

She smiled and repositioned herself on her back next to him and looked up at him. They laid naked, next to each other on the roomy couch, still slightly intertwined. Their clothes were scattered in a short radius, and the ship’s engine purred quietly around them. His fingertips glided over her shoulder and down her arm, and they finally came to rest at her elbow. 

"Been awhile," she said quietly. "I missed this."

"Me too," he sighed, looking just a little thoughtful. The bittersweet moment hung heavy in the air and she knew he was thinking the same thing. It had been nearly three years since they'd been together like this, but it felt as familiar and natural as it ever had. In the last few weeks, they'd had very few private moments to talk. Their relationship, whatever it was now, had taken a backseat to the obvious priorities. They'd shared a few interactions, a few emotionally charged reminders of who they used to be with one another, but there had been no time to explore those moments. There was always something more important. The world was falling down around them, but here, now, everything seemed all right.

"Almost forgot how great you look naked," Shepard joked, obviously trying to lighten the serious moment. 

She raised an eyebrow. “No you didn’t.”

He smiled. “You’re right,” He kissed her briefly and then kept his lips close to hers. “That’s not something I’d forget.” 

She touched his cheek, kissed him, and sat up. He followed, ending up next to her with the blanket on his lap. His hand sat gently on her back, and he chuckled. “But I’m happy for any reminders anyway.”

She reached back to give him a soft, playful smack and he caught her hand, kissed it and leaned back to recline slightly on the back of the couch. He seemed relaxed for once. She followed him, and repositioned herself to straddle his lap under the blanket they shared. 

“Daily reminders then?” She kissed him. 

“Hourly,” he said between kisses. 

“Hmm,” she mused. He planted a few soft kisses on her neck and collarbone as she spoke. “Not sure we can do our jobs if we never leave your cabin, Shepard.” She tilted her head playfully and he ran his thumb across her cheek. After another long moment he spoke again. 

“About that,” he began.

“What about that?” She asked. She was expecting a smart remark or a playful tease, not the serious expression he now had. 

He sighed. "I know we haven't really had a real chance to... sort things out."

“This is a good start,” she said playfully, but she knew the moment had changed to something more serious. It was time for them to discuss some things.

He looked at her for a long time, clearly trying to form whatever words were about to be said. Finally, he spoke. “I can’t fix the past. I can’t...change how it was for you, for us. But I want…” He paused and took a deep breath.

“What do you want?” she whispered.

“I want you with me, Ash. That’s all. And if you need more time to-” 

"I don't need any more time," she said truthfully, her brown eyes searching his.

He touched her face and smiled. “That’s good. Because I was going to say if you need more time that’s too damn bad.” He kissed her. “Think you’re stuck with me, Williams." Then the corner of his mouth turned up into a half smile. 

“Oh no.” She rolled her eyes, smiled and took his face in her palms and kissed him. His warm hands slid down her back, and then gently held her there. When she pulled away from the kiss, he looked thoughtful again.

"What is it?" She asked.

"Doesn't seem fair." He paused.

"What doesn't?" She asked. But she knew what he was going to say.

"This. All of it." He shook his head. "Just seems unfair how much time we've lost."

She smiled reassuringly. "We'll have time when this is done, Shepard." She almost believed herself.

"What if we don't?" he asked quietly.

She smirked, even though the thought made her chest ache. The very real possibility that everything could end any day was not lost on her. She chuckled. "Well, you're awfully pessimistic."

He smiled just a little. "A pessimist is what an optimist calls a realist."

She sighed at the words she had once said to him years ago and kissed him again. "Well then I guess we'll just have to take advantage of the time we have."

"You could bring your things up,” He absentmindedly played with a lock of her hair, and she thought he looked almost nervous. “To deck 1,” he needlessly clarified.

Ashley hadn’t been expecting that. During all the time they'd known each other she'd understood that he could be withdrawn and private during the toughest times. She had always respected his space, and he had always respected hers. The proposition seemed all at once sudden and long overdue. 

"Shepard," she started.

He exhaled. "I just...think it would be nice." He carefully swept the hair he had been playing with behind one of her ears.

She smiled. She had always appreciated how straightforward Shepard was. He usually said exactly what he meant, and there was very little mystery surrounding what his thoughts or opinions may be. She knew he appreciated that about her too. They cared for each other, and had never needed flowery language to show it aside from her occasional bout of sappy poetry. The unspoken understanding permeated the room, and Ashley kissed him again, longer and deeper.

When they parted he raised an eyebrow slightly. "That a yes?"

She smiled and kissed him again. "Mmhm," she said, her lips still on his.

A muffled laugh came from him. "Good." Her chuckle turned to a sigh as his lips found her throat. "Although," he said huskily into her ear, sending a delicious shiver through her. "Starting to think maybe this is my favorite spot on the ship.” His next kiss was deeper, and it was clear that he was done with the discussion. After a moment of escalating kisses she shifted, found him, and felt his arms tighten around her. 

Ashley jolted awake at the shrill scream of a nearby banshee. She gasped, sat straight up in her bed and then caught her breath when she realized where she was. She was in their cabin, fully clothed, and she felt the chill of the absence of his warm body. She took a deep breath and noticed Sarah standing a few feet away with a concerned look on her face.

"Hey," Sarah said.

Ashley cleared her throat and cracked her stiff neck. "Hey," she croaked. "What time is it?" Liara had convinced her to leave the hospital and get some sleep after she'd found her passed out in the hard chair in Shepard's room hours ago. Ashley had pushed back a little, but she knew she was leaving him in good care with Liara and Dr. Chakwas. It turned out sleep was exactly what she needed.

"It's only three o'clock. You didn't miss anything. Brought you some food," Sarah handed Ashley a small container. "It's not a lot, but I know you haven't eaten." She plopped down on the bed next to her sister.

"Thank you," Ashley said. She set the container aside. She wasn't hungry, though she realized she hadn't eaten in at least 24 hours. She would make sure to in a while.

"You have a nightmare?"

Ashley shook her head. "No. No it was a good dream actually." She let a small smile spread across her lips. "Just a nice memory." She looked at her sister. She looked tired. Person to person civilian communication wasn't up and running yet, but Ashley had been able to use her SpecTre resources to search for her family's names in the database of survivors. They had apparently returned to San Diego, all of them safe and sound, or so the manifest seemed to indicate. Ashley would take it. It was something positive. And it had clearly meant a lot to Sarah when she'd told her.

Ashley had given the crew 24 hours to rest and find out what they could about loved ones. After that she knew she would receive orders from command. Garrus, Tali, and a somber Joker had come by Shepard's room earlier to see him, though Ashley had requested the rest of the crew keep their distance. She didn't want them seeing him like this, and she knew he wouldn't want that either. She decided she would keep them all updated of any changes. It seemed like the only thing she had any control over at the moment.

"Oh Liara said to tell you Miranda will be here within the hour."

"Thanks." Ashley swung her legs off the bed and ran a hand through her hair.

"And you think she'll be able to help?"

Ashley nodded. "She and her team at Cerberus literally brought Shepard back from the dead." She scoffed a laugh. "I still can't believe it when I say that."

Sarah furrowed her brow. "I don't know how Liara was able to get her here so quickly. You should have seen her down there when you were at the hospital. She and that little drone were working overtime on something. She mentioned her 'network' whatever that meant."

Ashley smiled. "Yeah. Liara's a busy gal."

Sarah smiled. "Seems like everyone is making Shepard a priority," She squeezed Ashley's hand reassuringly. Ashley squeezed back.

"They are. Even Admiral Hackett ordered me to make sure he's getting the best care. As if he needed to." She sighed and looked at her sister. Her red hair hung to her shoulders, freshly washed and still damp. Ashley hadn't heard her shower. She realized she needed one herself. "Hey do I stink?" she asked her sister.

Sarah laughed. "A little." She paused. "And you look like crap."

"Thanks."

"And your hair is really greasy."

"Right."

Sarah sniffed. "Yeah wow, now that I'm inhaling deeply-"

"Thank you!" Ash said and smacked her with a nearby pillow.

Sarah laughed. "Guess you should shower before whats her face gets here."

"I know," Ash looked at Sarah's hands. She noticed her absentmindedly fiddling with her wedding ring. Ashley frowned. "How are you doing?"

Sarah shrugged. "I think I'm still processing a lot." She looked down. "What happened on the Citadel was... It was like a horror movie but... real." She took a deep breath. "And Thomas... I mean it was only a few months ago we were headed off on our honeymoon and then..."

"I know," was all Ashley could say. She squeezed her hand again.

"I guess they say time heals all wounds or something but I don't know if I really believe that."

Ashley took a deep breath. "It'll get better. I promise." She smiled. "Besides, I'm here to look after my little Bug."

Sarah laughed at the nickname she'd been given by Ashley when they were kids. “Bug” had started out as an annoyed rebuke of how often Sarah would insist on being around and “bugging” her older sisters. But as time went on it became a real term of endearment for them. Sarah smiled and her blue eyes turned affectionate. "I'm okay, Ash. I promise. I've been keeping busy the last few hours."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. There's been some volunteer organizing going on. A bunch of people who aren't injured are tired of just sitting around. They haven't been transported yet so the Alliance said they'd be happy for the help."

Ashley laughed. That was Sarah. She always found some way to be useful, no matter what the situation was. "I wondered what you'd gotten up to. I thought maybe you were just sitting around on the ship, but when I talked to Liara last she said you were out. I was confused."

Sarah shrugged. "It's nothing big. Just helping to load rations and water onto transports, and then bringing the food around to the folks who can't get around right now. Everyone seems in good spirits, considering."

"Well. We did win." She wondered how long everything would take to get back to normal. "Even if it doesn't really look like it." She stood. "Well I guess I'd better shower before Miranda gets here. "

Sarah pulled her into a hug and held her there. "I love you," she said.

Ashley squeezed her back. "I love you too."

After a moment, Sarah spoke again. "Wow, you do need a shower." They laughed and separated and Sarah winked before heading for the door.

Alone again, Ashley was suddenly nervous for Miranda's arrival. If she didn't have any ideas that could help Shepard they would be out of options. His vitals were holding steady for the time being. He was remarkably strong, but even he couldn't hold out forever.

Ashley fought off a chill at the thought, then forced her mind to stop racing and stepped into the bathroom.


	6. More Than A Man

**Chapter 6: More Than a Man**

Ashley's heart began to sink as Miranda Lawson spoke. She smoothed a hand over her hair, which in her exhaustion she had pulled back in a messy ponytail. She'd thrown on some blue fatigues, a grey tank top and her Alliance issue jacket. She was even armed with her pistol. She wouldn’t need it, but she supposed that was simply a comforting habit at this point. 

"It's not as if we can just find spare parts somewhere." The raven haired woman continued and looked down at Shepard in his bed with a soft expression. She knew that Miranda cared for Shepard, and she was counting on that to inspire Miranda to do her damndest. "The technology is highly specialized."

Ashley shook her head. "But you did it before. You brought him back to life."She squeezed Shepard's cold hand in hers and looked to Miranda. "There has to be something.”

Miranda looked at her for a long moment before sighing. "The odds of bringing him back once were a billion to one. It's astounding that it even worked the last time."

"He's not dead," Ashley said in a stern voice.

"I know that," Miranda said, equally as stern. She had arrived an hour ago and come straight to the hospital. She looked different than the last time Ashley saw her. She was dressed more comfortably, with flat boots, form fitting dark pants and a tailored leather jacket. She may have appeared stylish and well-manicured, but she had the same look of exhaustion and overwork in her eyes that everyone else had. 

Ashley barely knew Miranda. She'd remembered her face from Ashley's hazy reunion with Shepard on Horizon and then there was their run in on Sanctuary recently when they’d helped her rescue her sister. She’d dropped by Shepard’s apartment on the Citadel for drinks while the crew was on shore leave, but they hadn’t spoken much there. Ashley wasn’t sure why she hadn’t talked more with her. She had a million questions about The Lazarus Project and The Collectors, and The Illusive Man, but she couldn’t bring herself to ask them. Later she admitted to herself that maybe she didn’t want to know anything. Maybe she didn’t want to know all the things Miranda knew about Shepard. 

Miranda's voice held a soft, empathetic tone. "I can't make any promises."

Ashley's eyes narrowed. "That's not good enough." She said. She had been waiting for her anger to surface, and it was unfortunate that Miranda bore the brunt of it in that moment. Ashley knew it wasn't her fault, but she was in her line of vision when Ashley’s calm resolve cracked. It was just so unfair. She thought about everything he had sacrificed - his friends, his freedom, his happiness, his body, and his very life. He’d even had to live with destroying an entire star system to keep the Reapers from coming, but they’d come anyway and she knew he hated a part of himself because of it. As she looked at his ravaged form, Ashley was having a hard time finding any comfort in knowing that they'd won. The victory was bitter when she considered everything he had lost, that  _ they _ had lost. The only true victory, she decided, was for him to open his eyes. She looked up to see Miranda, eyebrow raised, arms crossed, but she didn't care that she had annoyed her. She didn't care about anything other than making him better. "You and I both know that he'd stop at nothing to help you if the situation were reversed." She continued. "You pulled off a miracle once. He deserves that again."

Miranda's eyebrows scrunched with anger and her tone became quiet. "I hope you’re not suggesting that I wouldn't do everything possible to help Shepard. I can't change the facts, Williams. I'm going to do whatever I can, but I'm not doing it for you."

Ashley knew she was being stubborn. She took a deep breath and nodded at Miranda. "I’m sorry. I just…”

Miranda's face seemed to soften again. "It's alright. I understand," she responded quietly and then turned her gaze to Shepard's bruised face. "I can't be absolutely certain that the technology we used wasn't Reaper tech. I was told it wasn't. I even did my own tests in secret, but I could never be sure. I'm almost certain they're just extremely advanced cybernetics, but..."

"Yeah we all know how forthcoming and honest The Illusive Man was." Ashley scoffed.

"Precisely. If the blast from the crucible destroyed Reaper tech it will be nearly impossible and probably even dangerous to reactivate it."

Ashley considered the thought of any Reaper technology being reactivated. She knew it wasn't safe. She didn't know what it could mean if it was suddenly switched on again. What if it meant the Reapers themselves switched back on? What if the entire galaxy could be put at risk by saving Shepard’s life? It was oddly poetic in a sick, twisted way she thought. "I know," she nodded. "But maybe that bastard was telling you the truth."

"Maybe."

Ashley shrugged. "It’s worth the risk to me." She wondered how much she really meant that. If it were at all possible for the Reapers to return, would she really let it happen? She had to believe that Shepard’s body didn’t have Reaper tech inside. She would allow herself to believe anything else. 

Miranda seemed to think for a long moment. "It’s worth the risk to me too," she said. "I've already shared the notes from Project Lazarus with Chakwas. She’s already familiar with Lazarus and the implants so that's helpful. I have to admit, the tech itself wasn't my specialty."

Ashley frowned. "What do you mean? I thought you were head of the Lazarus Project."

"Yes. I was. I know everything involved in it, every detail. I lived and breathed this project for years. Every procedure and specification I know like the back of my hand."

"But," Ashley prompted, worried about what the resulting answer would be.

"I never actually performed any of the procedures myself or maintained any of the equipment. We had a specialist." Miranda scoffed and smiled, almost tragically. "Wilson." She said, sounding almost regretful.

"Where is Wilson now?"

"I killed him."

Ashley nodded, deciding that the explanation probably wasn't important at the moment, but she was sure there was a story there. "And what about the option of just replacing or removing the implants?"

Chakwas spoke as she entered. "I can answer that," She said. Ashley turned to her. Dr. Chakwas had been officially retasked as Shepard's personal guardian angel. Hackett had given the order to make him her number one priority. She walked around the side of his bed and casually observed his vitals before she continued. "I anticipate we'll have to remove some of the more secondary and tertiary devices. It's likely some are damaged beyond repair and some of them may not be needed anyway. They were put in place to rebuild his decomposing tissue. Now that that tissue is alive they may be doing more harm than good in his current state."

Ashley cringed. She'd had nightmares about what his body had been through. She knew next to nothing about what had actually taken place. She had fought the urge to look at the files they recovered from the Cerberus base. Shepard hadn't even looked at them, and she had strongly encouraged him not to. After they'd hit the Cerberus base, she'd found him sitting in their cabin with a data disk in his hand. EDI had explained that the entire project had been logged in the files. There would be pictures, vids, images that he would never be able to erase from his mind. She'd sat down on his lap and gently took it from him. He'd seemed to relax then, as if he was waiting for permission to let it go. That had been a difficult night for him.

It was a wonder Shepard's sanity hadn't snapped long ago, but Ashley knew he was strong. Mentally he was razor sharp, always anticipating the next move, brilliantly planning, and constantly calculating. Emotionally he could be distant, particularly about the things she knew really bothered him. But sometimes he opened up, and when he did she had been there to listen. Physically he was just a man, but more than that now somehow. She truly believed he would pull through. He simply had to. 

She cleared her throat. "When is the surgery?"

"We can do it soon." Chakwas said. "We're just running a couple more preliminary tests."

"I feel like I should speak to his mother..." The thought occurred to Ashley. She knew that Hannah Shepard had been officially contacted and Shepard’s condition had been reported to her, but Ashley felt as if she needed to see her and explain everything in person herself. She didn’t really know why she felt that way. She didn't even know his mother. They had met only once, briefly. And that was at her son's memorial.

"She's on her way," Ashley turned to find Liara standing in the doorway. She smiled and moved to the side of the bed. She nodded at Miranda. "Hello Miranda."

"Liara." Miranda nodded and even smiled back at her.

Ashley felt the sudden need to lighten the mood in the room. She couldn't stand when things got too heavy, particularly when she was the one feeling tragic and broken.

"I wondered where you were," she chuckled. "Off herding your… friends...I take it?"

"What's left of them, yes." Liara nodded. "I'm getting a lot of different reports from all over. Generally it's...about as good as it can be." She nodded, seemingly pleased with the answer. "Everyone seems to be picking up the pieces."

Miranda looked at Chakwas. "We should prepare," she said simply.

Chakwas nodded, and then looked at Liara and Ashley. "We'll be back soon." The two women turned and walked out, leaving Liara and Ashley alone.

Ashley took a deep breath. "Any other news?" She asked.

Liara nodded. "Well as I said, Shepard's mother is on her way. Apparently the Orizaba was repurposed as a transport and evac ship. Hackett said she seemed more than happy to let her XO take the reins for a while I think. The crew are all settling into their new temporary assignments. I think they were happy when you relayed the orders from Hackett. Most have heard about their families at least. There have been some losses, but everyone seems to be dealing fairly well."

Ashley looked at Liara. "Thank you, Liara."

Liara smiled. "Of course."

Ashley shook her head. "No. I mean thank you. For everything. You've kept everything running on the Normandy. It's my job right now, and I've been a mess." She had to laugh. She had remained at Shepard's side most of the time she was here, but she’d worked as much as she could with Hackett and others to determine how best to utilize the crew in London. Her SpecTRe status made her a liaison between Alliance command and the Council, and she was trying her best to be as useful as she could be. Liara, who was also hurting, had really had her back. 

"You've been doing just fine, Ashley. And you’ve been much more productive than most in your position." Liara touched her shoulder. The Alliance and Normandy can function just fine. They have their orders and their jobs. Everyone is okay. I promise."

Ashley smiled. "Still, you've really covered my ass. I want you to know I appreciate it."

Liara laughed. "Well you can buy me a drink when this is all over." She looked suddenly sad. "Garrus got word from his sister."

Ashley looked at her. "So she's alive."

"Yes. But I'm afraid his father wasn't as lucky."

Ashley shook her head. "Oh man." She couldn't think of what else to say. "I suppose knowing is better than not knowing. And I'm glad his sister is okay. How is he taking it?"

Liara sighed. "He took a bottle of Turian whiskey into the forward battery and asked to be alone for a while. I'll check on him later. Vega didn't go into detail about his family but said things 'could have been worse.' I suppose that's the best to hope for right now."

"It's hard to even believe this is all over." Ashley said quietly. "In the grand scheme of things it all happened so fast, but I don't feel like I even remember a time when we weren't fighting this war."

"I know what you mean. I’ve lived a long time, Ashley and you’re not the only one who feels like the last few years span a century. It's so much to adjust to. All life everywhere will be so different." Liara looked down at Shepard. "I believe he’ll wake up, and when he does I’m sure he’ll be thrilled to know we won." She squeezed Ashley’s shoulder gently.

"I can’t wait to tell him,” Ashley said, hoping she would get to.


End file.
